[Mailbox]

Whilst it is good that your VOC was passed, surely this raises the recurring issue of Committee members with a personal interest in the outcome controlling the process to ensure it is successful?

Sometimes people forget that the processes they use to get what they want may one day be used against them.

Hypothetically, if you were against a resident having a pet would you be satisfied with a committee member using this same process to gain permission?

 

While the committee may not be required to consider objections from non-members the fact that there was opposition means that the matter may be raised again in the future. This may be problematic, especially if said pet ever misbehaves and the resident can demonstrate that they forewarned the committee of the potential for a serious issue to occur.

 

At the very least you may have upset residents who will wish to discuss the matter at a later meeting.

[Mailbox]

It was noted in the original post that only one resident would disagree with rescinding the by law. Ask yourself why they would disagree.

 

Do they need to sleep during the day when children are present? If so they would be disturbed by the noise no matter how occasional?

 

It is also worth noting that the composition of owners can change quickly and you may end up with a couple of families and children running about all the time.

 

With no applicable by law remedying the problem of free running children, their noise, damage from ball games etcetera the scene would be set for some interesting attempts at resolution.

[Mailbox]

Maybe if there is a no visible laundry rule a complementary clothing optional rule could be introduced? This would lessen the requirement for laundry to be be dried.

 

Of course residents would have to decide what they wanted to see less of, the laundry drying or the residents.

[Mailbox]

The house next to me whom I have a common wall was purchased by parents and their drop kick of a son lives in the place. Ever since they moved in I have had problems with the music, I have had multiple complaints to the local council send letters but still I are putting up with music. The last trick is leaving the stereo on all night. The letters are just not working.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Mailbox]

I read a book many years ago and for it was a religious experience, Orwell 1984, he writes about a government and its departments that are actually the opposite of their name, so a department of enlightenment would be doing the opposite, I can not help but feel sad when I see our governments taking on very similar personalities.
so what does Innovation and Better Regulation mean, regulation that is better for big business as they will not be called to account and Innovation = news laws to protect business.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

[Mailbox]

I too am having this issue.

My wife and I along with a 3 year old kid recently moved into a brand new unit. A few weeks in, we were told by a neighbour not to put a doormat outside at the entrance to our unit.

The hallway isnt carpeted like most units which makes it easy for dirt and dust to come into the unit. With rain, or wet floors, it will just make matters worst.

We are a working couple so cleaning the house regularly is a challenge. For hygienic reasons, we do not keep our footwear on within the unit

What I am keen to know is if there is a way for me to stand my ground and leave the doormat at its place. Appreciate your input on this matter.

[Mailbox]

When I rang the Minister’s phone number I ended up with a rather different story… What loophole?   

They acknowledge no loophole and impression given is that all is fine.
I will be following this up myself but would much appreciate any hard facts you case to shoot my way.

It just so happens that tonight (21/11/2017) I am organising a DISCUSSION MEETING about bylaws.

I’m sec of a body corporate for about 300 units.However not many, I suspect, can bear to wade though bylaws for revision .. and I will be pleased if even as many as five attended.

Most find reading bylaws as dull as dishwater. Yet a lot of money can be at stake as nobody knows better than yourselves.

If I can get to the bottom of this loophole business I can send you back my result.

First off the Minister’s office brushed it off as just “unfortunate” press reporting.

But my antennae are up .. I smell a rat or something at least slightly off somewhere.

[Mailbox]

Does the recent ruling by the NSW Civil Administration Tribunal over residential-only zoning, saying that rules “cannot prohibit or restrict” the operation of a lot, mean that any business can be operated within a lot?  Any business at all?  Hourly lets, perhaps?  Sewing factory?  Fashion shop?  Furniture manufacture?  All very well for that lot, but what about the common area usage?

We thought we had bought into residential strata, when it seems we have unwittingly bought into commercial ventures.  What does this change mean to our insurances, fire safety etc.?  Increased levies to cope with the tighter requirements of commercial accommodation, at least.

I can see the failure of the strata system, when one can only be sure of uncertainty.  We have been badly let down by “the system”, which does not recognise council zonings, or building residents’ decisions.

[Mailbox]

It is the same at all levels of the economy now, the only thing government will check is what a person is doing on the road as it is very easy to pry the dollars away, but for business it is check the work yourself and say it is good, and as we all know business is about making $$$$$$ and only that.

[Mailbox]

I have enjoyed reading your interesting comments and appreciated help and can see it’s a complex situation. My kitchen ceiling has a ducted vent which was probably installed previously due to water damage. It was through removing this vent that part of the sub floor from the bathroom could be accessed and the photo taken. When I had inquired about any water damage from earlier years to my townhouse an incident was noted from 2006. No details were mentioned.

On a positive note I met the strata manager yesterday (whether the outcome is positive in any way remains to be seen) after calling her office once again. She visited my townhouse to discuss the matter further and to see the bathroom and kitchen. She couldn’t understand why the floor tiles were cracking (long hairline cracks) and hadn’t seen this before. She also mentioned CHU wouldn’t cover the claim unless we had proof as to why the tiles were sporting cracks. Apparently tiles are meant to withstand all types of treatment. An inspection is being organised with another tile company so that we can hopefully find out more about the tiles. 

I may think about changing my contents insurance to CHU when the strata is with them. There wouldn’t be overlapping of various items. 

[Mailbox]

It’s wonderful hearing I have a chance of an insurance claim. It just didn’t seem right that some roof tiles had to be replaced having caused considerable damage to my bathroom in particular and yet the strata manager had not submitted a claim. Instead money has been taken from our strata accounts for repairs to my bathroom. The two areas of the roof with the tiles have been replaced. Despite sending photos of the damage to the bathroom and part of the subfloor the strata manager will not do anything about an insurance claim. Instead an inspection was organised to see whether my bathroom had been water proofed but the person undertaking the job only seemed interested in the shower handles. A building company also looked at the bathroom tiles so an approximate cost could be obtained. The handyman was asked to try & repair the cracked tiles! There has been no follow up with anything happening. The strata manager just isn’t interested. I even spoke to another strata manager from the same company mentioning my calls and emails were not being acknowledged. I have not heard from this person. What should I do to receive further help with my problem so an insurance claim can be lodged when the OC is fairly dysfunctional (no one is really interested in even the AGM let alone anything else) and even moreso when the strata manager refuses to acknowledge I even exist! Is there someone or some place I can turn to?

[Mailbox]

We just had it done for our complex of 10 units and 40+ windows. Unfortunately, it is an additional cost you will just have to suck up. I agree, why have an extra cost imposed by the government! Come summer, when it is hot, I will simply remove the lock so I can open my bedroom window and let some air in. The locksmiths must be laughing all the way to the bank with the new legislation.

[Mailbox]

Smokers are well known for flouting the law and believing that their ‘right‘ to smoke overrides everything else including the law. They will also say they are careful and that they would never cause a fire.

 

A smoking ban is all well and good but enforcement will need to be strict and penalties severe given the potential consequences.

 

Maybe the installation of smoke detectors at the resident’s expense for a first offence combined with a large penalty notice may mean they’ll think about breaking the law? This might even be a scenario when state government penalties are required.

 

Forced and immediate eviction and (if the owner) sale for a second offence would seem to be reasonable to protect the safety of other residents.

 

A few well publicised penalties would get the message across.

[Mailbox]

Sounds great not having an agent, until there’s a problem.

 

As a former landlord the money spent on an agent was cheap when I had to evict a tenant for non-payment of rent. And he was literally escorted off the premises by the appropriate law enforcement agency. He’d been perfect for a couple of years until it all went pear shaped.

 

Getting repairs done quickly and legally were handled by the agent along with the receipts for tax time, and so on.

 

Scumbag tenants prefer not to deal with an agent because they’ll be caught out and usually not even recommended to the owner.

 

As for the possessions shown in the 360 degree view, are they the owners or the tenants? If the latter you’re letting burglars know if it’s worth visiting this week.

 

As a former tenant I hated the agent taking photos of my possessions for their benefit. A few sheets worked wonders. Surely a vacant viewing is fairer for all? An accurate floor plan is what I personally prefer. Maybe that should be a standard feature of advertising?

 

Also, as a former tenant when the time came to move (property sold), the agent wanted to keep me so they actually found me another place on their books that hadn’t even been advertised. I can’t see Rentwell doing that for tenants. Can you?

 

Can Rentwell ensure that both parties act appropriately and follow their legal obligations? Or will they be hands off and say that the matter is between the landlord and tenant?

 

Frankly, so far nothing new, the 360 degree viewing is fairly common now and as mentioned above a good agent is cheap for the work they do if there is a problem.

[Mailbox]

Just some comments:

• Code of conduct I think is something everyone will just agree to sign, and good luck with trying to achieve compliance. The majority of reasonable people already follow these – the troublemakers will never follow them and having them sign this won’t change that. They are bullies who ignore sanctions which have no teeth. 
• A better strategy (and less reading) I think would be to have members agree to have committee meetings recorded. The possibility of having your rant / bullying shown on social media would curtail the worst behaviours, and reasonable people should have no objection.
• Standing orders are useful as a tool to pull out at meetings. However, number 11 (re members having one turn to speak until all have spoken) needs a time limit. We had one bully who was able to talk for up to 45 minutes on whatever his pet item was.  Other members were too cowed by him to interrupt and the strata managers were not interested in intervening, and/or also afraid of him.

[Author]

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